LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The Washington Redskins announced today that offensive lineman Kory Lichtensteiger will retire from the National Football League following a career that spanned across the 2008-16 seasons.
"After much thought and consideration, I have decided to retire from the National Football League," Lichtensteiger said. "I am grateful beyond words to the Washington Redskins organization."
The full text of Lichtensteiger's statement is included below.
Lichtensteiger appeared in 93 career regular season games with 75 starts while also starting both postseason contests in which he appeared. He originally entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick (No. 108 overall) of the Denver Broncos in the 2008 NFL Draft.
Lichtensteiger joined the Redskins as a free agent on Jan. 11, 2010, after spending the 2008 season with the Broncos and a portion of the 2009 season with the Minnesota Vikings. Entering Week 1 of the 2016 season, Lichtensteiger was the third-longest-tenured member of the Redskins, trailing only defensive lineman Kedric Golston and safety DeAngelo Hall.
From 2010-16, Lichtensteiger appeared in 77 games with the Redskins, starting all but his first two contests with the team. From 2011-13, he started all 37 regular season games in which he appeared at left guard before transitioning and starting 24 regular season games at center across the 2014-16 seasons. At one point, he made 53 consecutive starts across the two positions from the start of the 2012 season through Week 5 of the 2015 season.
"We want to congratulate Kory on a very successful career," Redskins Head Coach Jay Gruden said. "Kory has been a class act both on and off the field and worked tirelessly on becoming the best player he could possibly be. Kory defied the odds of being undersized because of his competitive spirit, accountability and attention to detail. It also helps to be tough as hell. We want to thank Kory for his relentless effort and leadership and wish him all the best in his future endeavors."
During the Redskins' NFC East Championship campaign in 2012, Lichtensteiger's teammates honored him with the team's Ed Block Courage Award. That year, he returned to start all 16 games at left guard less than a year removed from a multi-ligament knee injury that ended his 2011 season after only five games.
Lichtensteiger played collegiately at Bowling Green State University, where he earned All-MAC honors during each of his four seasons from 2003-07. As a senior, he was named a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the nation's best center.
A native of Van Wert, Ohio, Lichtensteiger attended Crestview H.S. in nearby Convoy, Ohio, where he was named All-Northwest Conference Lineman of the Year in addition to earning all-state honors during his junior and senior seasons. He has remained active in his home area, returning in recent years to host youth football camps in the offseason.
FULL STATEMENT FROM KORY LICHTENSTEIGER:
"After much thought and consideration, I have decided to retire from the National Football League. I am grateful beyond words to the Washington Redskins organization. I would like to thank the ownership as a whole and specifically Dan Snyder and his family for the opportunity to play the bulk of my career here in Washington.
"I have had many great coaches and teammates and I owe a great deal to many people for helping me make a career in this league. For any newcomer or unestablished player to hang around, he has to have people who believe in him. I will forever be grateful to Mike Shanahan and Jay Gruden for giving me that trust.
"I want to say thank you to the wonderful fans of the Washington Redskins. My chapter is ending, but there are great things happening in the organization! There is a lot to be excited for and I am ready to join the already great fan base in cheering for this team!
"I want to thank the entirety of my family for all their unwavering support and love. Surely, none of this would have been possible without them. Thank you to my agent, who has been with me through good times and bad.
"Finally, I would like to thank Bruce Allen and Scot McCloughan. When I came to them after the season and shared my thoughts, they were extremely gracious and agreed to let me to 'retire a Redskin.' This is a great business, but it is indeed a business. And for that reason, I am thankful to be treated as family in the final hour of my playing career. Hail to the Redskins!"
